Enigma
by SplashTOMATO
Summary: COMPLETE! Digimon Yaoi pairing Takuya/Kouji (I'll call it Takouji) fic, based off the first 9 episodes of Frontier. Would appreciate R+R! ^.^
1. Intrigue

*******  
Enigma  
Part 1: "Intrigue"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
Bwahahahaaa, I claim the first TaKouji fic! ...j/k. Well, at least it's an early one. ^_^; I'm taking a more casual approach to this one, so maybe I can write it more quickly. What a laugh. XD Anyhow, these first few parts may sound very summary-like, but it's only to get the plot moving, so it leaves room for more of my own plot development later on. ^_^  
  
The pairing in this fic is Takuya and Kouji, who are both MALES. If you do not want to appreciate that, please do not read this. I don't intend to attract Yaoi/shounen-ai haters into this because I don't interfere with their lifestyle and they should do the same.  
  
For anybody who would like a pic I did of our lovely couple: http://gottaito.dreamwater.org/pics/yaoi/Takouji01.htm  
  
And for reference: This fic was started on 4/15/02, episode 2 of Frontier has been aired in Japan. So at this time, this fic will contain HUGE spoilers for Digimon Frontier, the 4th season. Yes, that's the one following Digimon Tamers. I pray that those people who haven't finished the 2nd season and such will get to see the others in due time. ^_^  
  
Style notes: Please know that this fic is PARTIALLY Alternate Universe. I use many of the events that have occured in the actual series, but it is only a form of expressing what I would have liked to happen. Personalities are also only "based" off the ones the characters have in the show. Nevertheless, I always try to avoid _total_ OOC-ness. The story is written in past tense although it is read as if events are happening at that moment--except for this first part. For this part, Takuya speaks in both present and past, then melds into total past. I don't know what I was really thinking when I wrote it, but I'm too lazy to rewrite it. ^^; No random Japanese splurges like I have with Bishounen Boys ^^; This fic skips from Takuya to third person occasionally.  
  
5/8/02: The official age for the kids in Frontier (except Tomoki) is 11 (Izumi makes it a big deal that she's 3 months older than Takuya, that...female... -_-; ). However, in this fic I would consider them in their teens. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't try it. XD  
  
****  
  
~Takuya~  
  
...Who is he?  
  
I barely know why any of this happened. The events were all a blur, one flashed by to the next. I just knew that HE was here. He had to be. All of it was intuition, I suppose... just like how I knew I had to be on that train. Or rather, "Worm" the Trailmon. If only I had known where Worm would be taking us beforehand... But there's no point in looking back at what has already happened now. It's too late for that.  
  
It started during the celebration of my little brother's Shinya's birthday... not that it was really a celebration. Papa was so late... I stole a taste of Shinya's cake, and our cellular phone rang. Mama was already occupied on the home line, so I inspected the phone message further.  
  
" Choose your future," it said. It also knew my name, somehow... Basically, it was an invitation to some sort of game, but left no more information than where it was taking place. I had to take a train to Shibuya, and I had about 15 minutes to get there by feet. Egad. With my great luck (heheh), I managed to dodge getting hit by a carrier truck and get a free ticket in the same time interval. Now that I think about it, I wonder how I got so lucky.  
  
Anyhow, I barely made it onto the train for Shibuya. That was the first time I saw him, but I didn't think anything of it at the moment. I was in way too much of a hurry. I had even less time to catch up with the subway to the next destination. It was impulse making me do all this, I swear. I freaked more at the realization of how much time I had more than when I realized that I would probably get lost FINDING the subway at Shibuya. I just kind of stood around in front of the train door pondering. And then he passed me. If I didn't know better I think it was rather deliberate, too...  
  
His appearance enticed me to follow him to an elevator, where I must have made a show making a jump fit for an action movie. Heh.  
  
After recovering, I noticed that he was holding a cell phone with a message glowing on it.  
  
It was a simple question, really.  
  
" You've got one of these too?"  
  
And he didn't answer very friendly. In fact, he was pretty stuck up about it. Frankly, I wasn't used to it. I mean, some people can be really mean for no particular reason, but... wow. This guy had some air going on about him. But then the elevator started speeding up (or down, since that was the direction it was going... or whatever... ack) and we went beyond the listed bottom floor. I glanced at the boy who was previously acting rather snotty, and instead he had a surprised look on his face. At least the guy wasn't one of those "I FEAR NOTHING! BWAHAHAH!" type of people. It did kind of counteract the snotty attitude, though...  
  
He had a captivating color scheme going on, a yellow shirt with a blue overcoat on. Then there was the bandana that covered the top of his head... perhaps it was a symbol of his personal rebellion? That was my first impression, at least.  
  
But when we finally "landed," a message on my phone spoke. "This is the final decision: Will you ride? Or will you return?" It sounded like one of those point of no return kind of things. Well, it's too late to know that it WAS.  
  
Without hesitating, he took a sharp right towards one of the surrounding trains. There were several facing different directions, but I knew I would only be able to catch up to the one closest to me. That kind of disappointed me. There was something about the dark haired boy that made me want to know more.  
  
I latched onto the back of the departing train, catching my breath when I was on. When I was able to look up, there he was again...on the other train, staring at me, an intense look on his face. I tried giving back that look, but perhaps it wasn't convincing as his expression made no change.  
  
The trains entered a tunnel, and I suddenly lost his view. Another pang of disappointment hit me. I hoped I would meet him again. He had some kind of natural magnet on me or something... I shook my head. I needed to get inside the train...  
  
I met several very different people in the train that day. On Worm, there was Shibayama Junpei, a somewhat bulky guy who enjoyed chocolate. On the seat across from him, a blonde haired girl named Orimoto Izumi introduced herself. She was in this situation because it interested her... how classic of a girl. Then, there was little Himi Tomoki. The poor kid was pushed in right as the doors to the train closed. We all immediately felt sorry for him. None of us really knew what was going to happen, and especially... why.  
  
Worm the Trailmon dropped us all off next to some strange Digimon called Pagumon. Worm told us that we had to seek the spirits in order to return home, and left us with that vague piece of information.  
  
I also became a Digimon on that day. Yes, I became it. It, as in Agnimon of Fire. We found a spirit on our first day, hoorah for us. Bokomon told me it was called evolution when I turned into Agnimon.  
  
Bokomon is also a Digimon, who is accompanied by another named Neemon. To be honest, they kind of look like baby animals in diapers or something. Bokomon carries some kind of book with him all the time that has a chockload of information about the Digital World. He's also quite a bookworm himself.  
  
As Agnimon I beat up some ruthless Digimon called Cerberumon who was after the spirits. He was also wreaking havoc on the Digital World, literally taking chunks out of the planet. After defeating him, out of instinct I downloaded his "Digicode." using my Digivice, which my cell phone had apparently turned into. Exhausted, I reverted back to my normal self...  
  
As Bokomon was telling us about evolution and some other stuff, I fiddled around with my Digivice, and released the Digicode I had just received. It returned all of the land that Cerberumon had destroyed. All of the Digimon in the area celebrated since their town was restored, and they urged us to stay with them for a while. We definitely needed it.  
  
I finally got some time by myself that night. Being surrounded by so many... creatures can be quite dizzying. And everything that happened that day was confusing me. And the other boy...  
  
He was cold, unyielding, but he definitely had a reason for being so. I knew I would meet him again, so I could find out more about him. And perhaps, something between us would bloom...  
  
****  
  
Shall I continue? I would love to hear your R+R, especially since this is my first time working outside of Adventure and Season 02 fics. =^.^=  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	2. Double Encounter

*******  
Enigma  
Part 2: "Double Encounter"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
Hehe, I knew I wasn't the first (Thanks Regulus for pointing out his), and thank you so much for the reviews! They've motivated me enough to appreciate Frontier more in general, lol. And I've gotten several new ideas... ^^;  
  
Takuya doesn't see Kouji fight the Pagumon in the original, but he does here... :-D I don't mean to make this fic completely based off the original series, but I may go through some events that happened in the show. Therefore, spoiler warning is still in heat. Pbbb... reminds me of Clare's "neuter Davis."  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't try it. XD  
  
****  
  
What could I say? He was there again, and very... impressive. There was just no way to describe it, really. He fought off a huge pack of Pagumon that made my fight with Cerberumon look elementary. I couldn't explain the rush that enveloped me when I heard him.  
  
One of the Pagumon changed into a huge ugly blob called Raremon, and the long bar in the boy's hands would obviously be useless.  
  
I had to help him! Frantically, I jabbed the buttons on my Digivice, calling for my spirit. Raremon spewed disgusting green sludge out of his mouth, disintegrating everything in its path. Some of the sludge was headed for... Tomoki! I was too far away to save him...  
  
And then... the unknown guy surprised me yet again. He grabbed Tomoki and took off, taking the younger boy away from danger. Raremon became even angrier and started shooting more radioactive gunk in their direction. The labyrinth we were stuck in was rather circular, and there was a large ravine in the center of the area.  
  
The others stood around, unable to even think of a way to help them. Raremon aimed his shots with strategy, forcing the boy to slowly move toward the center. And soon enough, he found himself on the edge of the pit with nowhere else to go. All he could do now was hold onto Tomoki... None of us knew if the pit had a bottom...  
  
Feck, I wanted to save him so badly... ' Let me evolve!'  
  
" SPIRIT!!!" I screamed in frustration. My digivice glowed in response... it worked!  
  
I stepped in just in time to take out an attack that might have killed him. As Agnimon, I shielded him against multiple attacks. All of a sudden, there was a huge flash of light, and then.... something seemed different. I looked back to see if the guy was safe, then realized I had changed back, as I was shorter than him. Why did I change back?  
  
And his expression, he had the most startled look on his face... For a moment we simply started at each other, amazed to be in the other's presence. The moment was short lived, as another nuclear blast hurled toward us. I shoved myself in front of the others to force them down. There wasn't any time to calculate how much force to use, and I went too hard...  
  
I had pushed him right into the ravine.  
  
" Damn it!" There was no possible way I could reach him... only his scared expression left my mind reeling. What if I had just killed him? Was he falling to his death? Because of me???  
  
I felt a huge sickness in the pit of my stomach. My fault... No, it wasn't happening, he didn't deserve it. I still wanted to know who he was... know more about him...  
  
Then, the most peculiar scene appeared in my head.  
  
I was looking up into the ever-clear sky, turmoil diminished from my consciousness. He was at my side, staring at me absent-mindedly. And then, he rolled over-- rather casually-- extending an arm to my other side. His face, still laced in his bandana, approached and he simply peered at me. It was astonishing how he didn't make a single trace of direct contact.  
  
He had me pinned without even touching me.  
  
The first word that I could think of was "succulent," but I had no idea why. I just knew that godDAMN, that gaze he gave me could have sent me into-  
  
" SPIRIT EVOLUTION! WOLFMON!"  
  
Hmm? That was certainly unique... The shout cleared my mind of my previous thoughts and I glanced in the general direction of the source of the sound: the pit. As if on cue, a blur of blue light shot out of the pit, and stopped in front of us. The stance, the aura of this creature... Was he...  
  
****  
  
Raremon was tar compared to Wolfmon of light. In a flash, he had surrendered to the digivice in Wolfmon's hands, reduced to a patch of data in the digital device.  
  
He became exhausted when he reverted back to his normal self, as I did when I changed back from Agnimon the first time. He seemed so fragile at that moment, innocent, as if his inner personality had been released. Perhaps it was a empathetic reaction, but I knew that he had the same confused feeling that I had when I first evolved.  
  
" Are you okay?" I said as I approached him, wanting to further express my thoughts, but he interrupted me with a choked, but strict, order.  
  
" Don't touch me."  
  
Dejected, I obeyed him, returning to my formal stance.  
  
" Don't touch me," he repeated. He was gaining his sense of power again. I could tell that his attitude was going to kick back in. " I hate strangers who touch me. But don't give me gratitude for saving you."  
  
He stood up and brushed the dust off him.  
  
" We didn't ask for it," I said back at him.  
  
He ignored it. " I'm Minamoto Kouji. And you?"  
  
I didn't answer him for a while... I didn't feel the need to. It felt rather awkward, he was directing that question to me, and only me. The others in the labyrinth were blinking in awe at the scene that had played before them.  
  
But it couldn't have just been because I was the only other one that evolved. I had met him before, he was the first I felt connected to in this world. The others were too... dull. Sure, they were kind (somewhat) and had lots of nice qualities, but there was something missing from them that I could only sense from Kouji.  
  
" I just want to know your name, but we won't be talking much," he reasoned, snapping me out of my short trance.  
  
" Kanbara Takuya," I uttered uselessly.  
  
" Takuya," he said, as if imprinting it in his mind. He turned his back on us, casually flipping a hand in departure. " See you again."  
  
As he left, Junpei suddenly jumped in front of me, commenting on how strange the guy was. Tomoki blinked blankly, and Izumi began complaining that she wanted out of the messy place. However, it was Kouji's final comment that kept my attention. " See you again..."  
  
Was he actually interested in meeting me again? Another thought etched my mind... I knew him the most out of anyone in our group. That revelation alone mystified me. I had the greatest chance of figuring out who he was.  
  
" Takuya, are you still alive?" Junpei waved his hand in my face. I must have spaced out.  
  
" Oh, leave him alone, Junpei," Izumi said, arms behind her head. " He's probably daydreaming about his new beloved robin hood Kouji."  
  
I turned around hastily and barked at her-- " I am NOT."  
  
She stuck her tongue out at me. " Then he's still your beloved robin hood."  
  
I was wordless for a moment, my blush rising instead of my voice. The hesitation was a bad move. " No, he isn't," I said in resistance, although the effect was not nearly as well as I hoped it to be. Izumi looked unconvinced, and me avoiding eye contact with her wasn't helping. The others seemed to be catching up to the situation... not good. I quickly changed subjects to leave the labyrinth, which none of them said a word of refusal to.  
  
Yet, those words continued to play in my head... "Don't touch me." " See you again."  
  
And for some reason, I couldn't wait to see him again...  
  
****  
  
The next chapter will have some interesting Takuya/Kouji progress if people so desire it. ~_^  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	3. Soft-boiled

*******  
Enigma  
Part 3: "Soft-boiled"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
All right, time to get a little insight on Kouji's thoughts... note "little", lol.  
  
Deep thanks to Regulus, Sailor Gotland, Saya the Demoness, The Mad Hatter, Happy Hobbes EclipseS, miya wada, leekato fan, Evil Doctor Mushroom, Takako Sakuranomiya, Chibi-chan CC, and the ever anonymous "You'll know eventually" for reviewing. It helps my muses to the greatest extent ever, even during the most depressing times of my life. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't sue. XD  
  
****  
  
Dusk. The Poyomon have probably returned to their haven for an evening rest. 'Good riddance, they were annoying.'  
  
What a strange place the Digital World was. Even with all of the fighting he had done that day, his clothes felt not a speck dirtier. In fact, they were probably cleaner than how they were before entering the Digital World. Not that he had anything to complain about that...  
  
He sat back on the tree he picked out amongst the surrounding ones. It had comforting grass, and the view ahead was just as calming. He damn well needed something to relax him.  
  
As he leaned back, relieving his sore joints, his mind was set on reflecting on the day. He could evolve into a Digimon... how interesting. And further yet, the other boy was there. What a surprise it was to meet up with him again.  
  
" Takuya..." he said to himself, eyes shutting in contemplation. " That boy's onto me."  
  
A slight trace of a blush ran through his cheeks. He didn't mean to say that out loud, but it was out of habit. But since he was in a foreign world now, he would have to keep his thoughts to himself more often. Who knows who would be listening to him...  
  
Despite his uncouth outlook, he truly felt empty on the inside. He could have been the top leader in just about any clique. He had all the needed traits: A cool attitude, a great fighter... heck, he probably could have grown up to be the nicest person in the world. But nice, over caring people were exactly what he disliked. They sickened him. They were like... bunnies. Sure, they were cute and adorable and all that... but once you've been with one for a while you start to notice how often they dispose their meals on your floor and screw up your environment into bitten pieces or shreds. And they're never there to take responsibility for their misbehavior.  
  
He never did enjoy those kind of people. He tried fitting with them once and again, but it never worked. Trouble would always show up some time or another, and he would get caught up in it somehow to take the blame. He hated being a scapegoat. He even hated it when the situation was a GOOD one. He wanted respect for something that he DID do... which was why he didn't want anything from Takuya after Raremon was defeated. If Takuya had not shielded him, he probably wouldn't have lived long enough to see the spirit in the hole behind him. It was also Takuya who pushed him into the hole in the first place, but that was by chance...  
  
Nonetheless, Kouji still felt that the boy deserved credit for it.  
  
Something about Takuya was appealing to him. Perhaps it was a premonition that something about the boy was unique. The poor guy, he had already tried befriending Kouji several times. In fact, they could have been friends ever since they went on the elevator together. Of course, going along with first instincts he had to shrug the goggle-head off. It just wasn't Kouji's style to openly welcome everyone he met.  
  
Although, he could imagine it. He could see himself greeting Takuya with something more than a mere grunt or a cold shoulder. To initiate a pleasant conversation, share stories of the past, or even build their own story...  
  
No, he didn't want that. Or did he? The thought wasn't TOO bad... In fact, it seemed rather plausible.  
  
Maybe...  
  
****  
  
I sauntered outside as quietly as I could. I couldn't let anyone know I was sneaking out... they'd all bitch at me if they found out. Maybe even Tomoki would. Sneaking doesn't seem like something a hero would do. Not like I really WANTED to be seen as a hero...  
  
At first I was thinking on just getting some fresh air. Then I wanted to take a look at the area. When I reached the edge of the village, I went farther and explored the outer zones, back to the place where Raremon was defeated. And then... it finally occurred to me.... Kouji must be nearby. He probably didn't wander off that far from the battle scene since he seemed rather tired...  
  
Au contraire... his trail was quite distinct. He must have made some pretty heavy steps on the way out...  
  
I followed his tracks to a large field, and darted behind a few trees. He chose a spot rather out on the open, but it didn't look like anybody else would be invading. The place was huge, but very... desolate.  
  
I took a step nearer, careful not to make extra noise, but yet... " Don't come near." His eyes were still shut and he STILL caught me.  
  
" Kouji," I uttered. It was the first time I had said his name out loud.  
  
He opened a strained eye. " Takuya..." Immediately I could hear his tone change, he probably didn't expect it to be me. But as soon as I took another step, his breathing made a jerk. " Don't come any closer."  
  
" It's difficult to talk to you back here," I said, even though I knew what kind of reply I was going to get. It was meant to be a distraction.  
  
" Who said I was going to talk in the first place?" he was getting agitated.  
  
" You're talking right now," I replied, taking another step.  
  
It went unnoticed, just as planned. " Well, I'm not anymore. Good night. Now go away." He turned his back, continuing to slump against the tree.  
  
Hmm, he even makes 'good night' sound rude... " Not until I get my questions answered." Another step.  
  
He paused. I take another step, and he noticed it this time. " I told you to stay back! Do you want me to make myself more clear?"  
  
I underestimated his senses, but that didn't make me stop. " Yes, by answering my questions. Then I'll leave you alone."  
  
Kouji just turned around sharply and glared at me, his breathing becoming laborious. " Fine. Go on."  
  
" Question 1: Why do you insist on being alone?"  
  
He half laughed. " What an ironic question," he noted, more to himself than me. " Because of people like you. Will you go now?"  
  
I did the exact opposite. He still glared at me, but now I sensed some hidden fear in his stance. " That was my first question. What's wrong with people like me?" I hated being so provocative, but I needed to know.  
  
" You're all so provocative," he replied, as if reading my mind. Double irony.  
  
I wasn't in the mood to stop yet, even though I could tell it was hurting him. Perhaps he wasn't used to having people be this intrusive. By then I had reached his tree he was leaning on. I could see more details on his bandana through the moonlight, and the glimmer in his eyes...  
  
He was fully alert now, and ready to do something... like probably take off and leave me behind.  
  
" You're awfully close," he said bluntly. The sneer in his tone was still wavering, however. An impulse took over me, and I reached a hand in his direction. I was curious about him...  
  
He leaped up into the branches above him, then settled into them. I wouldn't be able to reach him on the ground, but...  
  
Kouji practically gaped at me as he saw me in the branch next to his. I had some athletic skills, too. " How dense can you be?" he growled. " How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from me?"  
  
" As many times as you want," I said, " But it's not going to stop me." I had him somewhere. If he had really wanted to get rid of me he would have tried to outrun me... but I have pretty good running skills also. He was absolutely trapped.  
  
He stopped giving me such an intense look, and instead looked out into the moonlit field. He seemed... troubled.  
  
And then, his branch snapped. Kaput, gone. He underestimated its weight capacity, and his footing was long off. I extended my arm to catch him, but didn't think about the after-effect. As I caught him in my arms, I lost my equilibrium, and his weight brought me straight down. My protective instincts forced me to wrap my arms around him tighter. It sent the strangest chills all through me...  
  
I liked it.  
  
He landed on top of me with a thud. I felt like a big cushion that had its air slammed right out of it. The impact hurt plenty, but it was worth it. I just wouldn't be able to move much for a bit.  
  
Kouji groaned into my stomach, still stupefied at the accident.  
  
His presence was rather... comforting.  
  
After a short while, he pushed off me. But before he could even get into a kneeling position, I grabbed him on his shoulders.  
  
His eyes bugged out at the movement. " Don't touch me!" he exclaimed, more out of desperation than ever. He winced when I held on even tighter.  
  
" Kouji," I said calmly. " Do your words match your wants?"  
  
He paused for a moment, becoming very silent. If he really wanted to be alone, he would have shoved away and been done with me by now. Instead he was tentative... he probably wasn't used to this kind of situation. Heck, I wasn't used to it either. His mind seemed to be clouded with similar thoughts. But exhaustion was also overtaking him; he was having trouble just supporting himself. He stared down at me, his walls of bitterness worn down of fatigue. That's when I knew I did it. He was surrendering to his inner self.  
  
Kouji let go of his resistance, falling back onto my chest face down with a small thud. Immediately he began to relax, adjusting his position to make himself comfortable. It felt nice feeling him move around like that... probably too nice. The tip of his bandana was tickling my neck, but I didn't want to disturb him. Slowly, I reached up to move it.  
  
" Don't try it..." Kouji mumbled, as much as a warning as he could manage. Still touchy, was he... It would have been nice to see him without such a cover on his head, but I supposed it was too early for him to even consider it. I would just have to get used to the neck itch.  
  
The sky was pure darkness. I heard a sigh from Kouji, feeling his gentle breath cuddling me. Sensing security from him, I wrapped my arms around his back. " Don't..." He groaned lightly, burying his face deeper into my shirt...  
  
After that, there was only a peaceful, soft breathing sound.  
  
****  
  
*feels heartwarmed* Awwww...... Somebody tell me what I was on... ^_^; Well, I actually had fun writing this chapter, which doesn't happen that often in most of my fics. Keep going? ^_^  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	4. Moonlit Play

*******  
Enigma  
Part 4: "Moonlit Play"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
At this point, I start completely ignoring some events in the series, as if they never happened. ^_^ Reference to episode 3: In this fic, the Frontier kids stay in the initial village for a while before another Trailmon approaches.  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't sue. XD  
  
****  
  
Takuya awoke with a start. His left cheek felt incredibly warm...  
  
The events of the previous evening were briefly forgotten, so when he spotted the other boy staring down at him, he almost jumped. He was no longer tired, although Kouji was yearning for a little bit more rest in his eyes. Or perhaps those eyelids were lazy for another reason...  
  
At that point he realized the warmth was from Kouji's hand. Takuya stared into his eyes above him. Kouji's entire face was shadowed from the rising light behind him, but he could notice the details between his furrows. His walls of coldness were simmering, revealing a new bearing... an impulse came from Takuya's hands unconsciously holding onto the blue-clad waistline, and he reached for a more comfortable grasp. But his effort was unyielding, and Kouji sat up, moving away from him.  
  
Takuya stifled a whine of dismay and followed, using his hands to support him instead. After a yawn, he glanced at Kouji, noticing his fetal position. He could've sworn that Kouji was blushing.  
  
Curiousity got to the better of him, and Takuya reached out once more towards the striped article on Kouji's head. As if he were psychic, Kouji took the hand before it got near any proximity of its target. Slowly, he turned around, his usual expression retained.  
  
" You should get back to the others before they wake up," he said. If there was even a hint of solace in that tone, Takuya couldn't sense it.  
  
Takuya stood in silence for a while, trying not to get excited at the location of Kouji's action. Anyhow, the pierce of Kouji's voice was something he had not learned to endure, so it held him back. Eventually, he managed a small, " Right..."  
  
Slowly, Kouji let go. He almost regretted saying that...  
  
" Kouji... Will you... will you be here again tonight?"  
  
Unseen by Takuya, the dark-haired one blushed. He wasn't used to this, having somebody ask for his company. Even if it was an indirect request... and Takuya wasn't all that bad...  
  
' Just one more night, I'll try it...' he planned. " Yes."  
  
Takuya's face lightened up. " Great!"  
  
He saw the blush on Kouji's expression, confirming his former thought, and immediately contained his excitement. " I mean, uh... that's good. Mmm... I'll catch you later, then." Takuya waved a short good-bye before leaving, preventing the scene from becoming more awkward.  
  
" See ya." He stopped at Kouji's voice. For the first time, Takuya noticed the beauty of it. It was dangerously low, but that was exactly what thrilled him. Takuya smiled.  
  
****  
  
The others wondered why I was already so piped up when they awoke. I just replied with a joke immature tongue and said, " Envious of my energy?"  
  
Izumi and Junpei both 'hmphed' at the same time. I wonder why most of us refused to get along with each other. Since we were all stuck in the same situation, working together might get us home earlier. Then again, I was afraid of what they would say back to me if I suggested such a thing. Mutualism can really stink.  
  
We spent the day gathering food around the area. Some of the trees had a lot of strange-looking fruit on them, and the bushes had berries. I wondered what Digimon meat was like... hmm. At one point we got reached the area Kouji was at the night before. I looked around for him, but he wasn't anywhere near... Bokomon and Neemon led us across the field and over a hill, and we found ourselves standing in front of a stream. Actually, it seemed more like a small river.  
  
" This here is our main source of water. Could you scoop up some of it with that bucket?" Bokomon pointed to the pail in Junpei's hands, and he obliged.  
  
I ignored them and went back over the hill, gazing at the tree where I slept, where HE slept... I deeply hoped that Kouji didn't run off permanently. I wasn't sure how much I could trust him to keep his word.  
  
****  
  
I shouldn't have doubted him. He was probably just out sightseeing...  
  
When he saw me, I could see the edge of a smile tracing his lips. The thought that he was happy to meet me again filled me with the most amazing feeling. But then, the hint was gone, replaced by his usual cold expression.  
  
I refused to show my disappointment. " Kouji!" I called freely, stopping within range. " How was your day?"  
  
" Same old, same old," he replied, nonchalant in his tone.  
  
" And that would be...?"  
  
Kouji glared at me. " Why do you have to be so..." He stopped himself, then looked away. Apparently last night's conversation was still fresh in his mind. He sighed. " I took a walk around the whole area, figured up a few places I could head off to..."  
  
That had me worried. " Are you... leaving?"  
  
He jerked in my direction. " Well, I can't stay HERE all the time, can I?"  
  
Pang. Of course he wouldn't stay here. He had no reason to... and certainly not for me...  
  
Kouji must have sensed something, for he looked sympathetic all of a sudden. " If you want, I can... uh..." he hesitated to say anything else.  
  
The mood needed to be brightened, so I decided to finish his sentence. " Take off your bandana?" In a huge gesture, I lunged out both of my arms towards his head, but he managed to dodge.  
  
" No!" he said, stern but humorous at the same time. " Why don't you take off your hat?"  
  
That idea had never occured to me until he brought it up. I wanted to see him without his bandana first, though... I guess it was a pride thing. " I will when you take off your bandana... maybe."  
  
I grabbed for the bandana again, and he still dodged. He gave me a strange look, wondering what I was trying to do with my obvious attempts. I gave him an evil grin, then started running after him. Naturally, he kept dodging, and soon we were chasing each other around the field. The best thing about it was that I felt like there was no conflict during that time. I could only feel a beautiful sensation of his happiness, his bliss...  
  
****  
  
We spent several nights like that one. I would constantly tease him about taking off his bandana, and if he tried to retaliate with the hat thing, I'd start chasing him. Sometimes he would even chase me... and when we both got tired, we would talk to each other about our days. I could tell that every second I spent with him was making him open up more. I just wished I could spend more time than the simple hour or so I was there every night, but we needed our sleep. He had a lot of interesting things to talk about, and he was amazingly intelligent. Within a couple nights he had learned the ins and outs of every organism in the area, especially the edible ones. I swear he was some kind of natural survivor.  
  
Tonight I tried sneaking up on him again like I did on the first night. When I arrived at the field, I found him missing at his tree. Confused, I gave up my surprise attack and inspected the tree... did he leave?  
  
My worry was only momentary, and something came down on me from the tree. Sure enough, it was Kouji, anticipating my arrival. He also anticipated my next move, which was to grab his bandana. Once more, I chased him across and back the field several times, and nothing could have stopped our moment of paradise....  
  
Yes, nothing could match up to the feeling I had when I was with Kouji. Tomoki, Izumi, Junpei... all of the others... they were no more than acquaintances, no matter how much I tried to make conversation with them. With Kouji, I didn't need to depend on that. But being with him for such a short time was killing me...  
  
We both tired eventually, and we slumped onto the middle of the field, the cotton-like plants scattering from the disturbance. I glanced at him, observing his heavy breathing. He caught my eyes, and for about a minute we just stared at each other, catching our breaths. And he was... smiling. He was truly smiling. And it wasn't one of those smirks or evil grins that we usually gave each other... This one sent shivers all through me. It was the first genuine sign that he enjoyed my presence. I almost thought it was impossible for him to ever make it... but there it was, for my own sight only...  
  
However, I could sense a bit of sadness in those eyes...  
  
We both sat up, and I decided that it was time I asked...  
  
" Kouji, there's something that's been bugging me lately."  
  
He peered at me curiously, which involved a simple head tilt. He blinked, and that was all the permission I needed to go on.  
  
" Why..." I struggled with my choice of words for a moment, " How come you don't stay with the rest of the other kids at the village? Why do you stay here?"  
  
Kouji shuffled around, as if his current position was uncomfortable. " I don't think I would fit in with them. I just... don't like being around so many people."  
  
I looked at him solemnly.  
  
" And what good would that do?" he reasoned, " It wouldn't make any difference if I was there."  
  
" I could be with you more often."  
  
There was a deep silence, and Kouji had a startled look. I cringed inwardly. Damn, I blew it...  
  
And then, he reached a hand out to my face. He brushed my cheek, lightly playing with my hair. He had felt my hair before during some of our conversations, teasingly on the brink of yanking off my hat, but this was a VERY different mood...  
  
" Takuya..." he said soothingly, " You have no idea how much I enjoy having you around. But I'm just not ready to try myself with so many other people."  
  
His admission had my heart going so brilliantly, but his second comment destroyed it.  
  
Gazing at him, he seemed to be torn up as well. His hands returned to his sides, and he looked away. " I've never been this close to anyone before. The feeling of it... it's all so new..."  
  
He was holding back tears, pressuring his hands to grip the grass. And at that moment, I knew I couldn't separate myself from him again. " Then can I stay with you?"  
  
" W... wha?" he said, shocked at the request, " What about the others? I thought you were protecting them..."  
  
I smiled, admiring his perplexed form. " A Trailmon is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. They'll be going home."  
  
He looked down, contemplating the situation. His blue overcoat was hanging off one side, but he took no notice of it. I thought it looked utterly... tempting.  
  
GodDAMN tempting. " Kouji."  
  
He jerked his head in my direction, and I caught it in my hands. Immediately, I could feel heat creeping from them... He made no move to resist. " Please stay with me?" I half-questioned.  
  
I took hold of his shoulders and leaned forward. And captured his lips in my own.  
  
Kouji...  
  
****  
  
=^.^=  
  
Sorry for leaving it rather open and unexplained at the end, I did it on purpose and things will clear up next chapter. ^^;  
  
The better is still yet to come... heheheh... how good you want it to be will depend on your reviews. lol. XD  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	5. Desolation

*******  
Enigma  
Part 5: "Desolation"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
Hey! *huggles reviewers* That one's for ya. One quick doobie--  
  
Sailor Gotland: "I hate being touched by strangers" is a straight out translation from episode 2, the pour soul. T_T The official age for the kids in Frontier (except Tomoki) is 11 (Izumi makes it a big deal that she's 3 months older than Takuya, that...female... -_-; ). However, in this fic I would consider them in their teens. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't try it. XD  
  
****  
  
The view of the three colored moons was nothing compared to Kouji that night. He was so natural, so keen to everything around him. He could focus on all or nothing, and his ability to focus on one person...  
  
I realized the moment I kissed him how irresistible he was. After the initial placement wore off I moved closer for a deeper taste of him. Kouji's released the tension on his shoulders in my hold, and before I knew it he was kissing back, using even more force. I moaned lightly at the pressure, and extended my arm around his back.  
  
I never imagined that anything like this would happen. I knew there was always something I wanted to know about Kouji no matter how much time I spent with him. But the possibility that there was something I didn't know about MYSELF had never occurred to me. I had true feelings for him... I couldn't deny myself that. My reasons for wanting to be with him constantly, my reasons for caring for him... I wanted to know him inside... outside... everywhere...  
  
He was unlike any other person I had met, his personality allured me in every way... so much... And at that instant, he was so complying it almost made me cry...  
  
My tongue traced his bottom lip, and he pulled back, out of breath.  
  
There was an unleashed hunger in his eyes as they bored into me, searching. Then he leaned forward, gently pushing me back onto the field. He hovered over me, still staring intensely... and I remembered it. I remembered THIS scene, and now knew the meaning behind it. Pinned without direct contact.  
  
Kouji advanced and took my lips, immediately pressing his tongue inside. I never expected him to be so aggressive, but it wasn't something I would complain about...  
  
With newfound encouragement, I wrapped my arms around him tighter and followed his example, clashing our tongues in a dancing fashion.  
  
The wind decided to gang up on us at that moment, bringing a heavy gust onto the field. It caused Kouji to wince in its piercing chill, and he moved even closer until I could feel the pressure from his shoulder blade. In a sense, it was like he was protecting me...  
  
As the enduring breeze passed by us, I found myself toying with his hair. It was silky to the touch, and flowed like water through my hands. I could have played with it all night... and Kouji wasn't refusing. The scene reminded me of our first night together, but this time felt more complete... yet something was still missing...  
  
Eventually, Kouji rolled off my stomach and turned to his side. I sat up to stretch my arms.  
  
" Do you want to sleep here tonight?" he asked casually, looking up at me.  
  
I was speechless. I figured after the first incident he'd... I mentally slapped myself. ' Look at what just happened! He... he...'  
  
It must have been a while for Kouji said, " Well, do you want to?" He was patient, but still demanding.  
  
" Y-yeah... yes, I do," I stuttered, blushing. Something about him let me admit my feelings more openly, and it was quite strange.  
  
A trace of a smile played on Kouji's lips, and he brought an arm around my neck and pulled me into his chest. I remained rigid for a moment, not expecting him to be so... cozy. It felt so nice... I nuzzled into his shirt, admiring the flesh I could see on his collarbone area.  
  
I could feel Kouji take a deep exhale, and surprisingly, he relaxed greatly. I didn't think he was tense before...  
  
Why was he being so kind to me? It seemed rather awkward that we were doing something so intimate already... Did he actually feel that way? Did _I_ feel that way?  
  
" Kouji?" I mumbled into his shirt. After getting no response, I shifted my head to peer at him. He was already asleep, peacefully breathing. ' Oh well, live in the now and enjoy it.' I rubbed his back for security and closed my eyes, forgetting my troubles to savor his presence.  
  
****  
  
Takuya was... a prick. That was really all Kouji could think of to describe him. Really, who wouldn't? The goggle boy would constantly try to get inside his mind, tease him... touch him...  
  
He couldn't stand it at first. He didn't want to become familiar with anybody in this strange world, only because he didn't expect to stay in it for long. But after his evolution, he knew that there was a deeper meaning to his presence in the Digital World. No one could gain such power without a reason behind it.  
  
That wasn't what stressed him, however. It was amazing how some of these huge events could be nothing compared to a small personal problem. A problem with goggles and a cute smile...  
  
He remembered one particular meeting when he had ventured to the stream nearby. Takuya probably would have caught him without his bandana if not he had heard the boy's voice calling him. Eventually, Takuya found him and ran down the hill to catch up.  
  
Kouji should have seen it coming, but he didn't that time. All it took was a simple misplaced pebble-- and Takuya slipped. Kouji was in his path and he caught the falling boy. But there was still momentum, and they both plunged into the stream... well, at least almost halfway in. The way their legs stuck out was quite comical.  
  
As soon as Takuya resurfaced, he stammered apologies. Kouji just calmly used his arms to support himself, not even bothering to shake the water on him. Perhaps he was just feeling too lazy. But he could sense Takuya's eyes on him, staring at the water trickling down his cheeks, off his chin...  
  
Kouji turned to Takuya and confirmed his sense, then turned to raise himself out of the water. Still, he made no attempt to shake himself dry.  
  
" Kouji?" Takuya said nervously, " Are you okay?"  
  
An exceptionally large droplet made its way from Kouji's bandana down his face. He glanced at Takuya without saying a word, then walked past him up the hill. Kouji felt contemplative, and was organizing a few thoughts in his mind.  
  
Takuya followed him back to the other side of the hill and sat down next to Kouji, who was staring up at the dark sky.   
  
Kouji wasn't angry at him, although with the way Takuya fidgeted, the goggle boy must have thought he was. The two remained in silence for several minutes, simply listening to the night sounds around them.  
  
Within that disarray of silence, Kouji built the courage to tell Takuya a story. It was a story about a boy whose father had a job that involved a large amount of traveling. Because they never stayed in one place very long, the boy was very unsettled. He had to change schools often, but by the time he adjusted to a new place he would have to go to a new one... again. Many people have tried to befriend him, but he always refused their offer, for he knew that he would just be hurting them when he had to leave. He pushed people away to make sure they didn't think of him more than just another person. Deep down inside, he just wanted to be able to always be there for someone...  
  
It was Kouji's story, but Takuya already knew that.  
  
What left an impact in Kouji's mind was the last comment Takuya said to him that night. They chattered about their pasts during that time, and when Takuya got up, he placed a gloved hand on Kouji's shoulder. Kouji couldn't hold back his automatic response like he could now, and shrugged off the hand hastily. " Kouji, we're in the Digital World now. We're the grown-ups around here. But even grown-ups have to work together to succeed."  
  
Perhaps the revelation scared him, sparked fear in his veins. This was just too good to be true, to suddenly have found settlement.  
  
' Maybe it IS too good to be true.' In any case, he didn't know how long he was going to be in this world. He might simply vanish back into the other world overnight and abandon Takuya. He couldn't be depended on yet...  
  
He dreamed of being in the real world, residing in another foreign building, observing the people in the streets. He gripped the porch caging in front of him and gazed below him. Children were playing with each other, laughing, hugging, crying, shouting... they seemed more pale, brightened by a nonexistent light. They seemed so dim...  
  
Then, in the center of the scene, was a boy in a red jacket, his head lowered and covered with a hat. He stood out among the rest, the most animated. The boy lifted his face to meet with Kouji's, smiled and waved. But this wave was not a greeting... Kouji reached a hand out toward him.  
  
" Takuya!" he called. He gave the boy in goggles a pleading look, his arm outstretched.  
  
The boy just shook his head sadly, and dissolved into the rest of the pale crowd. Kouji backed from the porch, pulling his hand back slowly. Kouji was left alone again. In the distance, he could hear his father's voice, announcing their new destination, and ordering him to pack up his belongings.  
  
He collapsed into a kneeling position and cradled himself, struggling to hold back his tears as he had done many times before.  
  
****  
  
Dawn wore on them like unwanted clothes, clinging to their skins. Kouji stirred in its presence, immediately gathering thoughts of the previous evening. His gaze fell upon the boy in his arms, and he smirked. Takuya's hat could fall of his head at any moment because of the weight of his goggles...  
  
His half smile disappeared quickly as he also remembered his resolution. Slowly, carefully, he willed himself to get up and brought one of Takuya's arms around his shoulders. He trudged toward the village where the other children were, carrying the sleeping boy with him.  
  
Once there, like a swift animal he rested Takuya in what was apparently his sleeping area, a highly unoccupied gap between Tomoki and Junpei. None of the others were broken from their deep sleep, but Takuya mumbled a little. Kouji waited for a moment, watching those usually energetic eyes open lazily.  
  
" Kouji...?" he slurred, confused.  
  
Kouji leaned forward in response, and gave Takuya what passion he could without waking him further. Too tired to figure out what was happening, Takuya closed his eyes and welcomed Kouji's lips. A hand made its way to his fiery brown hair tuffed under his hat. The hand caressed his neck for a few moments before Kouji pulled back. Takuya was too overwhelmed to open his eyes again.  
  
" Things will be better this way, Takuya," was Kouji's last statement as he got up and left. Takuya sensed this, but was too exhausted to do anything about it. He fell back asleep, dreaming of saving Kouji from his lonely world...  
  
****  
  
^^;;; It'll get better... I think. It depends. ~_^  
  
Time for more plug-ins! Be sure to check Saya's Takouji gift ^_^ http://gottaito.dreamwater.org/pics/yaoi/Takouji03.htm  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	6. Aspiration

*******  
Enigma  
Part 6: "Aspiration"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
Squee, thanks so much for the reviews!! *_* I'm so glad you guys are liking this. I've added a few extra notes in the first part to clear up some comments I've been getting in random places. Quick comments:  
  
"You'll know eventually": My favorite of the two is Kouji. ^^; His voice is just to DIE for. *falls over* And Takuya is a little too overprotective of himself and Tomoki in the series, so I suppose that's why I don't adore him as much... yet. XD As for backstory, that is also based on the profile given by Megchan, which I quote "His father's circumstances have caused him to change schools many times, and because of this he's not very good at making friends."  
  
marian: It depends on you guys, of course ~_^ Although I may feel like being evil at any given moment, lol. My first impression of Takuya was the hairstyle, and I was like "My god, he has Sora's hair... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" But after several episodes, I've observed that his hair is more clumped, and actually he looks nothing like Sora without the hat. More like Satoshi/Ash from Pokemon, or Hiroshi/Richie. Wearing the hat doesn't help the obvious similarity, poor Takuya. But hey, I think Satoshi looks cute in a lot of manga... ^_^;  
  
Those who have seen episode 3/4 may recognize something... slightly. :-D Oh, the fun of AU-ness!  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't try it. XD  
  
****  
  
I wasn't supposed to be there. Not at the station again. I should have been under that tree, in bliss...  
  
I passed that day mindless on my surroundings. During breakfast, Neemon reminded us about the Trailmon that was going to arrive later in the day, but was immediately quieted by Bokomon. We ate mainly in silence, although Junpei tried to initiate a conversation several times. I would have joined in... but I was too preoccupied... Their topic seemed awkward, anyhow.  
  
" The pointy-ness was stitched in when I bought it! There's absolutely nothing wrong with my hat, I think it looks just fine," Izumi said to Junpei.  
  
" I still think you should just ditch it."  
  
We sat at a round table for seven people, so with Bokomon, Neemon, the other three kids and myself, there was an empty seat. Tomoki was chewing his food at my side, and the other was empty. Kouji could have been there... He could be chatting with us, sharing jokes, making fun of each other...  
  
Damn it, why wasn't he here?  
  
****  
  
I was standing in front of a Trailmon, ready to take off at any moment.  
  
" Takuya big brother?" the little boy chirped. " Are you spacing out again?"  
  
I blinked, re-adjusting my view to see the small boy tugging at my jacket. I had to admire Tomoki for his brightness... he had a lot of it. The Trailmon in front of us puffed out some steam. Neemon told us that it would take us home, only to be dragged away by the shorter Bokomon for a pep talk. The pep talk involved Bokomon snapping Neemon's pants...  
  
Junpei was all psyched to go home, and Tomoki most certainly had to go with him. He was still in 3rd grade, after all. Izumi decided not to go. Not like I cared. I wasn't going to save her hiney if she was in trouble, not with how she treated me.  
  
Tomoki was now hesitant to leave after seeing my evolution. It had impressed him greatly and he wanted to evolve as well, but we insisted that he went back. As soon as the Trailmon was out of sight, we saw Junpei and Tomoki walking towards us in the other direction. It was strange seeing them reappear like that, but they didn't seem to know why they didn't stay on.  
  
For some reason, we decided (more like IZUMI decided) to walk down the railroad track to find another station. Along the way, Bokomon entertained me with his begging to obtain the other Digimon spirits. Our Digivices suddenly beeped, and mine announced "Terminal in the forest," then blanked out. It didn't give us any more information, so Bokomon proceeded to check on his book. He quoted that the railroad we were on would eventually lead to this " Terminal in the forest." Maybe Kouji would be going there...  
  
****  
  
Kouji stared at his Digivice, idly blanking his mind. The Trailmon he was riding was a noisy one, roaring as it tore across the track. Kouji had a little urge to just whack or kick it or something, but it wouldn't be a sign of gratefulness. Instead, he just let it go without moving an extra inch.  
  
Kouji lazily put an arm against the seat. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he just had to move out of his old area. He was already starting to regret his move. Takuya didn't deserve to be left behind...  
  
He could imagine Takuya going back to that tree, searching for him. He could imagine him looking underwater in the stream, desperate yet hopefuly. Searching the field, still hopeful...  
  
The guilt welling inside him refused to settle on his will. He didn't want to regret his decision, but it seemed impossible to avoid it. He cursed his voyaging instincts. Why did he have to believe that he was meant to be alone? He hadn't even thought about Takuya's feelings.  
  
That is, if Takuya DID have any feelings for him...  
  
' Why should he?' Kouji thought, ' I'm grouchy and touchy. He couldn't possibly find anything decent about me...'  
  
He shook his head. He didn't want to think about the goggle boy, rather, he should have thought about where to go and what to do. The Trailmon screeched to a stop in the middle of a barren station. Kouji lifted himself off the train, observing the surroundings. The Trailmon yawned, drooping its eyes to sleep. Kouji eyed it for a moment, then spotted a waiting bench in front of him, and took roost on it.  
  
" I'll sleep by myself," he said rhetorically. The chill of a wind blew by, and Kouji cringed, thankful that his hands were stuffed in his pockets. Once his hands got cold they took forever to get the circulation to flow in them regularly again.  
  
Another piercing breeze hit him, but this time Kouji's instincts to hang onto something got to the better of him. He brought his hands out of his pockets, and seeing no one else was around (except the strange Trailmon), he hugged himself. It provided little comfort to him. The insecurity brought a vision of Takuya to him...  
  
Then he remembered his rejection. Takuya had offered his company and he had turned him down. Gone away. Left. And he would probably never see him again.  
  
The sense of loneliness from that realization was something he had never felt before. He never intended to feel that way about anyone... but it was too late. Despite Takuya's somewhat annoying personality, he had compassion and brought a feeling of vibrancy wherever he went. In a way, Kouji wished he could be like the goggle head. Sometimes even HE would get sick of not being cheerful at all.  
  
But Takuya was gone now. He wasn't there to inspire his joyful side to come out and play. He wasn't there to make him laugh, feel sadness or happiness. He wasn't there to just... BE there.  
  
The wind caught him again, and Kouji groaned against it, unable to avoid the coldness it brought.  
  
Kouji had to admit it. He missed Takuya, dearly.  
  
****  
  
He awoke to some incessant chattering the following morning. In front, he could see kids discussing amongst themselves, their backs to him.  
  
" This might be the Terminal in the forest," one of them said.  
  
Kouji peered at the sign near them which clearly said, " Soyokaze village."  
  
" It's not the Terminal in the forest," he said blandly. ' Can they NOT READ?!?'  
  
The others spoke to him, their voices too cheery for Kouji's mood at the moment. He put his hands in his pockets again and stepped down from the bench he was sitting on. Since Takuya wasn't there, he didn't have any reason to hang around with them... The girl asked him where he was going.  
  
" I'll go where I feel like going." He walked away, disgusted for no particular reason. Maybe it was the girl's loud complaining about his attitude. He just had to wonder why Takuya wasn't there. After the kids were out of sight, he wandered into some forest area and found a small tree to lean against. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth lightly, listening to the sounds of nature around him.  
  
' So the kids didn't go back,' he mused. He didn't think the Trailmon would actually let them on, he had already known that they wouldn't be able to go back. But there still seemed to be a possibility... ' Takuya must be really pissed at me right now.'  
  
Not wishing to brood, he opened his eyes and a sprout of a leafy plant caught his attention. It was an edible one, but it wasn't near mature enough to taste decent. He noticed a few more in a row, and pushed himself off the tree to follow the plant line. Perhaps the trail would lead him somewhere.  
  
He was interrupted by the sounds of battle nearby. Those kids he had encountered before were probably in trouble... With an inward sigh, he left his stance to make a temporary rescue.  
  
****  
  
Damn, uncomfortable non-existant cushion...  
  
I tossed and turned in different positions in the room. Everybody else was already asleep, as usual. I guess my eternal clock was a bit warped since I usually stayed up to visit Kouji...  
  
I grunted, the thought of him clogging up my stomach. I needed sleep... and the stiff ground wasn't helping. Neither was Kouji. Um...  
  
The Digimon we helped today insisted on giving us a place to sleep for the night. They were basically robotic beetles that conducted large amounts of electricity, called Kokuwamon. Unfortunately for the more organic forms (being humans), their only "nourishment" was batteries. What a delicacy. But they didn't have any food...  
  
So I suppose hunger was another reason for my insomnia. That, and the stupid, evil floor... and Kouji. I winced again. I have to stop doing that... The most this place gave us was a roof over our heads. We didn't need the roof, and I would have prefered to look at the moons... they calmed me. Sometimes Kouji and I would just lay around staring at the moons in total silence, aware of the other's presence and feeling contentment from that.  
  
Two nights without Kouji. I wondered if I could survive another one...  
  
Suddenly, I remembered the event several days earlier. Kouji's tale, my pleading to stay with him, our advancement towards each other...  
  
My eyes widened at the memory, its effect pointless in the dark. I could remember the feel of his hair, the texture of his skin, his wanton expression... And I knew for sure, that night with him wouldn't be only one...  
  
****  
  
Thought it was a bit sloppy... ^^; I just had to put SOMETHING out, relieve some of the evil cliffhanging of the other chapter. But I just finished watching episode 6 (which has LOTS of Takuya and Kouji, by the way ~_^) and the Takouji muse has risen again...  
  
Well, let's see what happens. XD  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	7. Rejuvenated Memory

*******  
Enigma  
Part 7: "Rejuvenated Memory"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
*dies* I know it's been a while. I've been tied up in driver's ed AND the end of the school year, but now that's all over, I can get more steady on updates. Phew!  
  
To those wondering where I get the episodes: People on instant messenger send them to me for translating ^^; Downloading is easier for me than having people download FROM me because of my evil firewall. T_T  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't try it. XD  
  
****  
  
It all started with the desire for... food. ShellNumemon were offering food for help. We were starving and had no money. The offer sounded... GREAT. So what did we have to do? Save their kidnapped daughters.  
  
The ShellNumemon wanted us to spend the night there before saving their daughters. It seemed strange since they were quite desperate for help, but it wouldn't hurt to get more sleep. That is, if I could GET any.  
  
The whole village was built on a mountain, a really steep one. Everything was pretty much on a 90 degree slant.. they had beds, but those were on the angle. Basically, they were useless. Instead, we laid ourselves on a bunch of leaves on the side wall. By the way, Kouji decided to sleep next to me. That's right. I met him again.  
  
Earlier that day, I had been told by a ShellNumemon that Kouji had fallen from the sky into their village. Wow. He had attempted to save the daughters and was rudely shoved off. After our meal (Kouji ate in a lonely corner...) Kouji showed a diagram pointing where the ShellNumemon daughters were being held. Junpei reassured the others that saving them would be no problem since we were legendary warriors. The ShellNumemon seemed shocked to know that, and ever since then, they've been acting nervous. Strange God-fearing snails.  
  
Kouji and I haven't had any time to ourselves since then, either.  
  
It was a hot night like the other ones. My left side was becoming numb from lack of cushion, so I shifted the other direction. I opened my eyes briefly and encountered another pair of white slits. Kouji was there, head rested on one arm... and he was staring at me.  
  
' Great time for awkwardness,' I thought. Unable to interpret his expression as he continued staring, I said, " You're a good guy, wanting to save those ShellNumemon daughters." Hey, I needed something to say. It had been a relatively long time since I last saw him.  
  
He gave a very peculiar glare, then turned the other direction. What was he up to?  
  
" Hmph. You didn't have to save them with me."  
  
Why of all times was he choosing to be stuck up like that? I growled and turned away from him. I tried to sleep it off, but my mind was restless. All I wanted to do was hug him and tell him how much I missed him and...  
  
" Kouji?" I turned back around to see him still against my side. He was asleep, or at least dozing. I shuffled closer to him, leaning my head over to glance at his face. Even in his sleep he could maintain his attitude... it made me smile.  
  
Unable to control myself, I brought my arm over his lithe waist. Even though I was as gentle as I could be, I knew that he had sensed it. He wasn't going to shove me off. I brushed my nose against the length of his hair, then shut my eyes, content. Kouji knew better than to admit he was awake. I yawned into his back, sleep building onto me. I could always say that I just rolled over too far... I wasn't sure why he was back to his cold self, but he was back, and that was what counted.  
  
****  
  
We suffered a rude awakening, opening our eyes to a dark oblivion below. Kouji was the only one who kept a sustained outlook, if Neemon's sleeping didn't count. After freaking out for a while, we spotted the ShellNumemon above us, sickles in their hands. They held our only lifeline; they had roped us on a cliff.  
  
The ShellNumemon thought we were allies of the enemy, just because we were legendary warriors. I suppose we couldn't blame them, since their first impression of legendary warriors wasn't all that great. And we were about to meet him...  
  
Grottomon, he called himself. The only things I could think about to describe him were... grody and fugly. He had this HUGE nose and spoke nasally, and well, he was just pretty darn fucking ugly. If the situation was less serious, I would have suggested that it was Izumi in disguise.  
  
It wasn't until Grottomon attacked us when the ShellNumemon realized their assumption was wrong. He brought out a huge hammer and tried to smash us into the wall, but we rebounded off the wall to dodge. One of the ShellNumemon accidentally threw his sickle in surprise. Kouji found an opportunity in the midst of the mess, and leaped off the cliff with his free limbs. The ShellNumemon who tied us up had poor judgement on the capabilities of our legs and had only bothered to tie our hands to our backs. By some strange feat, the thrown sickle landed right on the rope on Kouji's hands, freeing him. Instantly, he evolved into Wolfmon and swung into Grottomon...  
  
How the hell did he do that? He was amazing in so many ways, but...  
  
****  
  
Five Digimon against one. All five of us fought Grottomon, and we still lost. Grottomon was able to evolve as well, which really freaked us out. He had a "Beast Spirit" evolution, which turned him into Gigasmon. There wasn't much improvement on the appearance, but he sure kicked our behinds...  
  
All of us were forced to "de-evolve" back into our normal selves, and we were sent hurling off the cliff. Kouji, Tomoki and I ended up getting separated from the others. We went down a strange hole that lead us to an island floating in the sky, and we landed on a pile of huge bouncy balls or balloons... or something. Well, we didn't land straight on the ground, and that was all that mattered.  
  
We wandered the island for a while, and Kouji insisted that we searched for the Terminal in the forest as we had been doing in the first place. The island was full of toys from the ground up, and Tomoki couldn't help but check them out. Kouji was quite against making stops on our travel for sightseeing, and made no effort to hold it back. First he called Tomoki a kid, which the little one took quite well since he knew he was one. Then Kouji called him spoiled...  
  
That made even my heart sink. I was on his tail for the majority of the next hour because of it. We found a place full of candy somewhere on the island and jam-packed our stomachs. We headed off after our stomachs settled, and somehow, Kouji and I began to argue again. Fists probably would have been flying, but right before that would have happened, Tomoki was kidnapped... by a giant stuffed teddy bear gone bad. We were unable to save him... I won't bother saying why. It was a bit embarrassing...  
  
Kouji and I immediately followed the bear's direction. I tried explaining to Kouji that Tomoki was just like a little brother...  
  
" You really are like kids," he said nonchalantly.  
  
His name calling was really irritating me. " Will you stop being such a prick?" I said through gritted teeth.  
  
He blinked and his eyes widened. I must have hit something new.  
  
" We have to be Tomoki's brothers because we're the only ones who can," I reasoned, " It's only natural that we act like them, too. Don't you have any siblings?"  
  
All of a sudden, he looked extremely vulnerable. " I'm... alone..."  
  
He lowered his chin, avoiding my gaze. " I don't know about siblings..."  
  
I had to resist the urge to hug the life out of him as he stood there, his defenses completely off-guard. But perhaps words were what he needed more. " In that case, Tomoki can be your younger brother. Just think, you'll be able to find out how great it is to have a sibling-"  
  
Before I could stop him, he had zipped past me and was leaving fast. " Hey!" I pivoted on a dime and chased after him. What the heck was up with him?!?  
  
He was honestly trying to run away from me. " Kouji, I'm just trying to help!" I shouted to him, forcing myself to go faster. Eventually I caught him between two trees, and I twirled around to face him. He shrugged me off.  
  
" I don't need your help," he said defiantly.  
  
That set me off. I had enough of this. " Oh, just STOP it. Why are you being such an ass, anyhow? Have you completely forgotten about us? I knew you were awake last night!" I caught my breath shortly after my yelling. I didn't mean to pop that out...  
  
However, his stern appearance was already starting to wither, a red taint flickering across his cheeks. " Takuya..."  
  
It was as if I had hit something in his brain or switched on a light. We were alone now, and I wasn't about to let the opportunity slip. Besides, we couldn't save Tomoki if we couldn't settle our issues.  
  
I didn't notice the long silence until Kouji broke it. " I was thinking..."  
  
" That's new."  
  
His eyes flared. " YOU-"  
  
" Just keep going." My lovely big-mouth. It was the most of an apology he was going to get for now.  
  
He puffed air through his nose. " Anyhow, I was going over what you said that one night, if I would stay with you..."  
  
Now he had my attention. " I could have snuck out that night we stayed at the ShellNumemon mountain and saved the daughters on my own, and then leave. Maybe we wouldn't have met Grottomon, maybe we wouldn't have ended up in this town, maybe we would have anyway, who knows. I just didn't want to be around the other people."  
  
I gave him a funny look, and he seemed slightly winded. He sighed, then lowered his gaze. " What I'm trying to say is... you were the one who held me back. You're the only reason I stayed. You're... different."  
  
" Oh thanks," I was less sarcastic on that one, and for once Kouji didn't take offense on it.  
  
" My past keeps telling me that it will never last, but my present is telling me to be determined. Determined that we stay together. I want us to get through the Digital World so we can be together. You're the first I've ever felt this strongly for. That's what makes you different."  
  
My mouth refused to move out of its gape. I never imagined words like that coming from him...  
  
Kouji turned away. " I probably should of told you earlier, but I was a bit confused back then..." Kouji? Confused? Whoa... In a way, that confused me, too.  
  
He turned around to face me again. " You made that sound again."  
  
Now I was REALLY confused. " Me? What sound?" I asked him, pointing to my nose.  
  
" That, right there. You did it just a few seconds ago."  
  
Maybe it was just something I never noticed... " Ooookay, Kouji. Whatever you say." I started to walk past him like he had done several times to me. We had gone off-course somewhere down the chase.  
  
" Takuya." A blur of blue appeared in front of me, and before I had time to react, I was pulled into his arms.  
  
He rubbed his cheek against mine. Surprised at the sudden affection, I gave him a bewildered look. " K-Kouji?" I stuttered. Sure, it was great that he was being all cuddly, but...  
  
" You make some really nice noises..." he commented, purring into my ear. " They make me want to just... jump you or something..."  
  
I blushed furiously, then hastily reminded him that Tomoki needed to be rescued. He chuckled, a smile arising on his face, then pushed me ahead. I nearly fell over, but realized that he meant no harm, and laughed with him.  
  
" Don't let that get through to your head, Takuya!" he said as we continued our way, still laughing.  
  
Kouji was back, and better than ever. The future looked quite bright...  
  
****  
  
Moo. I hope you liked it. Review for continue? =^.^=  
  
I'm liking Takouji enough to the point I'm making a separate website for it: http://takouji.fateback.com  
  
XD  
  
Now review! Now! ^_^;  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


	8. Affection Confirmed

*******  
Enigma  
Part 8: "Affection Confirmed"  
By Splash  
*******  
  
Here it is, after a longer wait than usual. For reference, episode 7-9 spoilers. ^_^;  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon Frontier and its characters belong to Toei, not me. This is fanmade material, and by freedom of speech and all sorts of other random laws wonderful America has, I have the right to make this kind of stuff, so don't try it. XD  
  
****  
  
If the world was perfect, Kouji and I would have never bothered to save Tomoki. We would've spent all our time together on that toyland, chomping on delicious food and having a blast. It would've been like living in an amusement park, without having to wait around other visitors for the rides, without having to pay for the food, without any worries... And I would've been with Kouji...  
  
But nooo... Tomoki was suspected to be in distress. If only we knew he was having fun while we suffered our asses trying to rescue him. While we were knocking brainwashed Digimon out here and there, he was safely playing video games with a giant teddy bear.  
  
Anyhow, we saved the town, the toy Digimon that attacked us went back to normal, yada yada. For payment, they offered to fly us back to the others on one of their toy planes. Tomoki enthusiastically jumped in it behind the pilot. I followed, and then Kouji sat down behind me.  
  
Tomoki couldn't help but squeal with the air whipping across as we flew. I smiled, glad to see that he wasn't scared of being up so high. I turned my head to face Kouji. He didn't look as tense as he usually did.  
  
" You'll see, it's great having siblings," I said to him.  
  
He grinned quietly. " I'll try to fit in more, but just so I can stick around and bug you."  
  
I gaped at him slightly. " Oh yeah?" My gloved hand took a circle-swipe for his bandana. He barely dodged.  
  
" Hey, don't think about it," he admonished. Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulders. " After all, I've got an advantage!"  
  
What he said was true, and no later had he said that his hands were ready to take off my hat. It was no use to resist, so I sat there quietly, head turned toward him. Ahead, I could hear Tomoki and the pilot engaging in a complicated conversation on a video game.  
  
" Takuya," Kouji said softly, pausing.  
  
I felt secure with him at that moment, and it was a beautiful feeling. " It's okay. Go ahead."  
  
The fact that he had waited for my consent was enough to convince me. I loved it. He pulled my hat off, the goggles immediately loosening, and I felt the usual rush of bangs on my forehead. He dropped my hat and goggles right into my lap, as if it was some vile thing that needed to be out of the way quickly. Soon, his hands were all over my hair, combing it, wallowing in it... He had an angelic expression on his face, practically beckoning me to take some of it.  
  
So I did. I nearly turned over in my seat and just lunged for him. Our lips immediately made contact and I searched for his tongue, groping it with my own. My arms grabbed onto him as well, surrounding him in a tight hug. Oh, how much I missed it...  
  
We must have made a little bit of commotion, for when we finally broke apart Tomoki was staring at us innocently. Kouji wasn't phased at all. My face went through at least three shades of red.  
  
" Sorry about that, Tomoki," I said when I finally got the courage, " Don't tell the others about this yet, please?"  
  
" Okay," he chirped. " But did I miss something? That was a bit... strange. You guys argued a lot. I thought you didn't like each other."  
  
I ruffled my hair a bit, noticing how disheveled it had become. " Well, things happen... Some people won't like it, but there really isn't anything bad about... this." What the hell would I call it? Casual experimenting?  
  
Kouji and I settled things with Tomoki. The little one admitted he had trouble understanding, but he knew it wasn't his business to be telling people about other people. He thought it was a form of bullying. What a great kid.  
  
And as we flew on, I couldn't help but smirk when Kouji snaked an arm around me for comfort. I could get used to this...  
  
****  
  
The campfire raged on, strong but peaceful. It illuminated the children's faces as they slept in a very special way, creating a certain firey illusion. Takuya and the others had made it safely back to the others. Junpei, Izumi, Bokomon and Neemon had caught up with them while riding a boat. Apparently they had had a more watery adventure.  
  
And now Kouji was fully awake, although sleep would not come as a chore to him. He wanted to stay awake, though, to stare at the vision before him. Takuya had taken off his hat to sleep for the first time since he had arrived in the Digital World.  
  
' Takuya has stunning hair,' Kouji thought, open with his mind. He had finally realized that there was no reason to be hiding back from Takuya anymore. No more insecurities, no more loneliness...  
  
He would have to work hard to maintain it. The Digital World was a dangerous place. And if they ever got back home, he would have to deal with his location changes. But he didn't mind. He knew it would be worth it. The feeling of companionship and love from Takuya was all he needed for motivation to keep working.  
  
Kouji kicked his legs up, leaning away from the tree he was previously supporting himself on. He plopped down on the open space next to Takuya (Tomoki was on the other side) and ran his hand through the fire-touched hair.  
  
Takuya stirred, his eyes opening to catch the intruder. He relaxed when he saw the common bandana setting on Kouji's head. In fact, it seemed more loose than usual...  
  
" What is it, Kouji...?" he said tiredly, although he was trying to sound irritated. Guess that didn't work.  
  
The darker-haired one didn't say anything. Instead, he curled his arms under Takuya and lifted him up-- despite Takuya's protest-- and brought him to the tree that he had been at before.   
  
" Kouji... What..."  
  
Kouji placed a finger on his lips, effectively shutting him up. He let Takuya move on his own while he leaned back on the tree.  
  
Takuya stared at him blankly for a while, not truly awake.  
  
" I just wanted to make sure you understand," Kouji stated, " ...about why I act like I do sometimes. Why I'm so focused on getting through this strange place."  
  
Takuya grinned sleepily, which made it a cuter expression than usual. " You're playing the role of the caretaker and you want to put the whole burden on your own shoulders because you think you can do it more effectively alone than all of us combined."  
  
Kouji quirked an eyebrow at him and tensed his shoulders. He seemed incredulous and wondered if he should have bothered to ask.  
  
" But it's okay. I know you think you're better off alone sometimes," he continued, temporarily remembering a flashback from their battle with fugly Grottomon. If he had not been trying to take Grottomon on by himself, Wolfmon would have gotten a clear shot at him. " I'll just keep pulling you on track. We're a great team, you know?"  
  
Takuya watched as the other visibly loosened up. " You're doing it all for me. I understand, Kouji... Thank you."  
  
Kouji closed his eyes in acceptance, and did a slow nod.  
  
" You look a lot better without your hat," Kouji said out of the blue.  
  
Takuya blinked. And...  
  
" And you made that squeaking noise again," Kouji sighed. " At this rate you're going to make me do something drastic."  
  
Takuya looked at him. He hadn't noticed it that time either. " If you do, I'll counteract."  
  
Kouji simply grinned, an evil glint in his eyes. " Let's see it."  
  
They leapt at each other, releasing everything they had been keeping inside in other people's presence. Oh, how they missed it... They gasped in sync as they made contact, groping endlessly, peeling each other's clothes off. For some reason, shoes were the first thing to go. Then the gloves, then the overcoats. At one point, Takuya made a grab for Kouji's bandana...  
  
Kouji was too busy attempting at Takuya's yellow shirt to catch him. Before he knew it, his head felt lighter and there was a hand on his hairband...  
  
" You're not so tempermental anymore, Kouji," Takuya observed, " Before you would have swung me halfway through the forest by now."  
  
" Don't exaggerate," Kouji said breathlessly. He blinked, realizing his bandana was gone. It was strewn around the pile of clothes they had, abandoned.  
  
For some reason, Kouji froze when he felt Takuya's hand in his hair. It felt so nice, but not just because of the physical sensation. He finally had someone who he could trust and feel secure with...  
  
Takuya nuzzled his neck, breathing his scent, tinged with the air of nature. He pulled back after a short while and stared at Kouji straight in the eyes.  
  
" Here's to 'together forever,' Kouji," Takuya whispered. " No matter what happens." He sealed the vow with a kiss.  
  
Kouji was unable to reply verbally, obviously. But his other answer implied that he had no says against it...  
  
And he didn't have trouble admitting it. It was a beautiful feeling.  
  
****  
  
* End *   
  
****  
  
I hope you enjoyed this fic, I had a lot of fun doing it. Can I dare say... sequel? I'm not sure... ^^;;; Feedback deeply appreciated.  
  
Splash  
http://gottaito.cjb.net 


End file.
